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Why Travelers Should Be Excited for Virgin America Flights to Hawaii

Virgin America just announced new routes from San Francisco to both Honolulu and Maui, with tickets from $199 each way. The flights begin in winter 2015, but right now is the best time to buy. Here's what travelers can expect from Virgin America during the five-and-a-half hour flight time from San Francisco to Hawaii.

Why Travelers Should Be Excited for Virgin America Flights to Hawaii

Virgin America just announced new routes from San Francisco to both Honolulu and Maui, with tickets from $199 each way. The flights begin in winter 2015, but right now is the best time to buy. Here's what travelers can expect from Virgin America during the five-and-a-half hour flight time from San Francisco to Hawaii.

Virgin America exclusively flies Airbus A319s and A320s and operates the youngest fleet of any U.S. airline. New A320s with fuel-saving “sharklet” wingtips will fly the Hawaii routes. Aside from that unmistakable new plane smell, the low aircraft age plus other sustainable practices means greater fuel efficiency, which helps keep prices low on those long Hawaii routes.

Virgin America’s flights to Hawaii will depart from the airline’s gates within the newest terminal at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 2. The gates are designed for passenger comfort, with abundant power outlets, work tables, and more than enough seating (including some iconic furniture, like bright red Arne Jacobsen Egg Chairs). Even the food court is notable, as it offers more than just the usual fast food; standouts include Cat Cora’s Kitchen, Napa Farms Market, Lark Creek Grill, Pinkberry, and Vino Volo. In addition, the terminal was the first airport in the U.S. to receive LEED Gold and Platinum certifications for eco-efficiency.

Since all Virgin America planes are the same, passengers in each class will know exactly what to expect, knowledge that reduces the stress of travel. In Main Cabin (economy) for example, legroom is 32 inches, which is very generous by industry standards.

Main Cabin Select (premium economy) boosts that legroom to 38 inches. These 12 seats at the front of the economy cabin also include complimentary food and drinks, one free checked bag, priority boarding, and a speedier line at security.

First Class, with 55 inches of legroom and wide, white leather seats that both recline and offer a legrest, beats the domestic first class offered on Hawaii flights by competitor airlines. On top of that, First Class includes two free checked bags, complimentary hot meals and cocktails, priority boarding, and fast-lane security.

Every seat onboard has a personal seat-back TV with on-demand entertainment (like the recently added Great Courses series with Neil deGrasse Tyson), seat-to-seat chat, shopping, and the ability to order and purchase meals, snacks, and beverages.

It’s easy to keep gadgets powered up, as every seat features a power outlet and USB plug. Every Virgin America plane is also equipped with Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi, which should be available for some, if not all, of the long flight to Hawaii.

According to Virgin America, Hawaii has been one of the destinations most requested by the airline’s frequent flyers. Now that the routes are for sure, redemptions of eleVAte frequent flyer miles for flights to Hawaii begin as low as 8,559 points, with no blackout dates.

Virgin America’s partnership with Hawaiian Airlines means the possibility of easy connections on to other destinations around Hawaii, or even on to the airline’s international destinations in Australia and the Pacific. A quick stopover weekend in Hawaii while en route from the U.S. to Australia? Perfection.